Center for Student Financial Aid & Scholarships

Welcome!

The Center for Student Financial Aid is committed to assisting current and prospective students with financial assistance available from federal, state and institutional sources for their attendance at Cal State L.A.

Important Announcements

Announcement:

The FAFSA and Dream Application (AB540) Applications for the 2019-20 award year are now available. Instead of waiting until January 1, 2019 to apply, you may now begin on October 1, 2018. Be sure to complete your application online. March 2nd, 2019 is still the priority funding consideration deadline. Students who apply after the March 2nd, 2018 priority deadline may be considered for remaining available aid, which is dependent on funding availability.

Note: Federal implications to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) does not affect a Dreamer’s eligibility for California state financial aid and should not deter you from applying. If you would like more information about DACA, please do not hesitate to contact The Glazer’s Family Dreamer’s Resource Center located in SA214. They can also be reached at GFDRC@calstatela.edu or 323-343-4367.

NEW for 2019-20: The FAFSA App is now available:

Students may still apply for financial aid for the 2018-19 award year by submitting a FAFSA for the 2018-19 award year.

Apply for financial aid

Students who are U.S. Citizen or have eligible permanent resident status should file the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA). This financial aid application is used to determine financial aid eligibility for all federal, state, and institutional aid and must be submitted/renewed for each academic year. In addition to the FAFSA, separate applications are required for Cal Grants, Scholarships and the Federal Direct Student Loan.

Students who are AB540 students should file the Dream Act Application. Note: Federal implications to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) does not affect a Dreamer’s eligibility for California state financial aid and should not deter you from applying. If you would like more information about DACA, please do not hesitate to contact The Glazer’s Family Dreamer’s Resource Center located in SA214. They can also be reached at GFDRC@calstatela.edu or 323-343-4367.
In addition to the FAFSA, California residents and AB540 students may file the GPA Verification form for Cal Grant consideration. There are two different GPA Verification Forms. The forms can be found at: http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=1177. If you are a Cal State LA student and are currently enrolled, the Registrar’s Office will automatically submit your GPA to the California Student Aid Commission for you.

Financial aid funds are limited in many programs, with funding going to the earliest eligible applicants. Therefore, deadlines should be observed. Students pursuing their bachelor's and master's degree or their teaching credential can receive financial aid as long as they continue to be eligible and do not exceed the allowable maximum units earned or attempted.

Students may submit their 2019-20 applications as of October 1, 2018. In past years (prior to 2017-18), January 1st was the earliest day to submit the applications.

The FAFSA Application and FSA User ID:
To file your FAFSA, You will need to use your FSA User ID and password to complete your Renewal FAFSA on the web at https://fafsa.ed.gov/. It allows users to electronically access personal information on Federal Student Aid Web sites as well as electronically sign a FAFSA.

If you are a dependent student, your parents will also need a separate FSA Username and password to complete the FAFSA. If you do not have a FSA User ID and/or you have forgotten your password, you can retrieve it from the FAFSA login page. For more information about the FSA User ID, please visit: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid

FAFSA Filing Helping and Important Reminders:
Cal State LA Title IV Code is 001140. For Cal State LA students, list this first on your FAFSA.

Starting with the 2017-2018 academic year: Students will provide income information from an earlier tax year. For example, for the upcoming 2019-20 academic year, students (and parents, as appropriate) will report their 2016 income and tax information, rather than their 2017 income and tax information.

Read your email and check your “To Do List” on GET portal:
After you have filed your 2018-19 or 2019-20 FAFSA, you will get updates via your Cal State LA email. Check on your financial aid application status through your GET (Golden Eagle Territory) account.

Verification Documentation:
If you are asked to provide additional information to the financial aid office, do so as quickly as possible. It may take up to 8 weeks to process your file. This time frame may vary and is based on the volume of documents the office receives. Files are reviewed only after all requested documents are received and processed on a first-in, first-out basis.

Cost of attendance

What is the Cost of Attendance?

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of costs associated with attending the University for a given enrollment period (e.g. one term and/or one academic year). There are (3) standard student budgets: Commuter (i.e., living at home with parents), On-campus, and Off-campus. In addition to tuition and fees, each budget contains student expense allowances for books and supplies, room and board, miscellaneous/personal, and transportation for the duration of attendance.

Please note, all tuition and fees should be considered as estimates and are current at the time of publication. Tuition and Fees are subject to change without prior notification.

Tuition and Fee Components

Tuition

Campus Fees

Assessed amounts determined by enrollment standing – undergraduate, credential, or graduate/masters. Tuition fees are based on amounts approved by the CSU Board of Trustees.

Number of units attempting: 0-6 or 6.1 units or more

California residency status

Health Facilities

Athletics

Associated Student Body

University-Student Union

Instructionally Related Activities

Student Health Services

Student Success

Financial aid eligibility

To be considered for financial aid, you must:

be a US citizen or eligible noncitizen;

be registered with Selective Service (if required);

be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular matriculated student in a degree objective or teaching credential program. Unclassified Post-Baccalaureate students are normally not eligible for financial aid. If you are a student, check with the Center for Student Financial Aid. Extension/continuing education students are ineligible for financial aid.

If you are a male who is at least 18 years old and born after December 31, you MUST be registered with Selective Service in order to receive Federal student aid. You may now register with Selective Service online.

Types of Financial Aid

We offer financial assistance to students in the following categories.

Grants - Grants are available on the basis of financial need and do not have to be repaid. Sources of grant funds are available through Federal and State Governments. Grants are awarded to students who demonstrate the financial need and are prorated based on enrollment.

Federal Work-Study - A federally funded program that provides employment opportunities to students with the highest financial need. Placement is limited.

Scholarships- Forms of free money that are made available to students from various local community groups, corporate donors, and the University. You do not have to repay scholarships. Most scholarships require a separate application.

Federal Direct Loans - Loans are funds that you must repay. The Federal Direct Loan programs offer a secure, government-regulated and reasonably affordable way to invest in yourself and your goal of attaining higher education. Even though some loans are based on financial need, there are programs available to all federally eligible students regardless of income. Types of loans include Federal Perkins Loan, subsidized/unsubsidized Direct Loans, and PLUS Loans.

Private Loans - Private Education Loans, also known as Alternative Loans, are credit-based loans that can help bridge the gap between the actual cost of your education and the amount of your other financial aid funds. Private loans are offered by private lenders and should only be considered after exhausting all other sources of funding – including federal loans.

Dream Loan - The California Dream Loan is a subsidized loan program specifically developed to assist the California Dream Act students, also known as an AB-540 student. This loan is borrowed money that must be repaid with interest.

TEACH Grants- The TEACH Grant (Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education) Program provides grants for students who intend to teach in high-need fields in low income schools. The program is available only to students fully admitted into an eligible teaching credential or graduate program at CSU Los Angeles.